Getting State and Local Budgets Under Control

Starts  with  Reducing  Costs  of  Government  Workers’  Salaries  and  Benefits
Current  Nebraska  Law  Must  Be  Changed
Nebraska  is  in  “ Top  Ten”  in  the  country
• Public  employee  salaries  are  NOT  based  currently  on  what  the  employer  can   in  percentage  of  workforce  employed  by  
afford  -­‐  it  is  based  on  what  is  prevalent. State  and  Local  Governments
• Comparable  figures  are  used  from  large  ci4es  like  Kansas  City,  Chicago,  and  
St.  Louis.
• Public  employee  unions  make  agreements  and  can  then  take  their  case  to  an  
en;ty  called  the  Commission  of  Industrial  RelaBons  (CIR)  and  get  more  
money  and  benefits.
• The  CIR  members,  appointed  by  the  Governor,  are  not  elected  by,  nor  
answerable  to  taxpayers  -­‐  yet  their  decisions  impact  us  a  great  deal.  
• Nebraska  is  the  only  midwestern  state  with  public  employee  contracts  
manda;ng  staffing  levels;  in  some  ci;es  police  and  fire  chiefs  don’t  determine  
staffing,  the  union  contract  does.
IMPACT  ON  NEBRASKA  TAXPAYERS:
• The  City  of  Omaha  police  contract  resulted  in  tax  increases  in  2010
• In  January,  2011,  Omaha  was  ordered  to  pay  fire  fighters  $2.2  million  in  raises  
for  2009,  even  though  the  union  had  agreed  to  lower  wages.
• Lincoln  fire  fighters  make  $80,000  per  year,  on  average,  but  recently  received  
6%  -­‐  10%  wage  increases.
• Many  State  employees  have  re4rement  plans  that  are  guaranteed  pay  outs;  
federal  government  and  taxpayers  have  had  to  bail  them  out  mul4ple  4mes  
since  2008  while  their  own  401k  balances  shrink
Recommended  SoluBons
9  measures  have  been  introduced  in  the  Unicameral  proposing  changes  to  
Nebraska’s  laws  governing  public  employees  -­‐  which  are  best?
(Other  bills  are  LB397,  LB482,  LB555,  LB623,  LB624,  LB619) *What  YOU  Can  Do*
LB664:  Repeals  the  Industrial  Rela;ons  and  State  Employee  Collec;ve   ATTEND  HEARINGS  on  the  proposed  bills:
Bargaining  Act  and  prohibits  collec;ve  bargaining  by  government  en;;es   Monday,  February  7
in  Nebraska.   1:30pm  -­‐  Start  Bme  (see  below!)
LR29CA:  An  proposed  amendment  that  would  go  before  voters  in   State  Capitol  Room  1524
November  2012  to  make  the  prohibi;on  part  of  Nebraska’s  Cons;tu;on. 1445  K  St.,  Lincoln
LB564  +  LR29CA:  LB564  makes  significant  reform  to  the  way  the  CIR  
operates;  Senators  may  be  persuaded  to  pass  LB564  and  leave  the   A  large  public  turnout  is  needed  to  show  
decision  to  prohibit  collec;ve  bargaining  to  the  people  in  Nov.  2012. Senators  that  Nebraskans  want  meaningful  
reform  on  this  issue.
CIR  Reform  Alone  Will  Not  Sufficiently  Bring  Down  Costs
Why  Collec<ve  Bargaining  Must  End Have  to  work  on  Monday?  
• Elected  officials  at  the  State,  county,  and  local  levels  are  supposed  to   The  hearings  are  likely  to  run  into  the  
represent  the  taxpayer  in  contract  nego;a;ons evening,    so  it  is  s;ll  possible  to  aDend.  
• There  is  no  truly  independent  party  involved;  both  par;es  in  the   Informa;on  we  have  received  indicates  LB664  
nego;a;on  are  familiar  with  one  another,  they  work  together   and  LR29CA  will  be  the  last  bills  heard.
• Many  poli;cians  are  elected  through  the  dona;ons  and  volunteerism  
of  unions  and  their  membership Can  you...
• It  goes  against  human  nature  for  elected  officials  to  say  “no”  to  people   1. Tell  at  least  5  people  about  the  hearings  
they  work  with  and  who  they  are  in  some  cases  beholden  to and  the  CIR  issue,  maybe  print  these  flyers?
• By  elimina;ng  collec;ve  bargaining,  governments  can  base  employee   2. ADend  the  hearings  yourself  or  get  
compensa;on  on  budgetary  reali;es,  not  nego;a;ons  among   someone  you  know  who  can?
interested  par;es 3. Prepare  a  brief  statement  of  support  and  
Bills  can  be  read  in  full  at  nebraskalegislature.gov bring  to  the  hearing  or  send  to  the  
For  more  informa;on  on  this  and  other  issues,  visit: CommiDee  Members  and  your  Senator?
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